The current cost of RWD cars... WTF

[BobombETA]

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/cto/4878229286.html



I had an FC and loved it. This seems like it's in pretty decent shape and it's the later model (s5) which has a little more power. Rotories do carry a stigma though.

Easily solved with a granny's speed shop kit ;)

[jalopi]

Reliable, fast, cheap
Pick two. You can't realistically expect to have something problem free, fun and powerful in such a low price range.

See, that's what I'm ranting about though - when I bought my e30 five years ago things WERE like that. You could get rwd manual cars for DIRT cheap... though I guess the recession was in full swing... so maybe that could be a reason.. I'm sure cash 4 clunkers didn't help either

So why did you cut up your e30 in the first place?

I hope you found some matching wheels for your truck before you go buy another project.

My e30 was being a dirty whore. I had a 302 swap in it and shit kept breaking left and right. The final straw was when the car nearly caught on fire in a Chick-fil-a parking lot when one of the power steering lines kerploded. I was having all sorts of cooling problems with the car too and I had read that e36s could fit bigger radiators and flow more air under the hood, so I figured I'd just take all my parts off the e30 and slap it on the e36 (almost all my expensive stuff is compatible with the e36). Lo and behold there are few e36s I'm willing to buy.

Also, I do have a matching set of wheels for the truck, but the free tires I got (for a corolla, on the front) have a load rating of only 1k lbs. The tires on the reemz on the back have a load rating of 1300lbs, I figured the extra load range would be a good idea with half a car in the back

[mr2peak]

That's what you get for ruining an E30.

Karma at it's finest

[FredK]

OP, look for a Peugeot 505. Turbo or V6 model.

You will not be disappointed.

These cars are comfy as FUCK. And fast. And RWD. And standard LSD. And handle fantastically for what they are - body roll yes, but with crazy control.

Stop trolling.

[varg]

Even though you're denying the "fast, reliable, cheap" maxim existed "back when" you bought your E30, it sounds to me like you experienced it firsthand, and hopefully learned a lesson about throwing a tantrum and pitching your toys out of the crib when you run into trouble.

[Andy Mechnic]

[/quote]Lo and behold there are few e36s I'm willing to buy.[/quote]

That's how it works every time you see a ton of em when you don't want one. As soon as you decide you want one. They're no where to be see.
Every freakin time

[Stanley Rockafella]

My e30 was being a dirty whore. I had a 302 swap in it and shit kept breaking left and right. The final straw was when the car nearly caught on fire in a Chick-fil-a parking lot when one of the power steering lines kerploded. I was having all sorts of cooling problems with the car too and I had read that e36s could fit bigger radiators and flow more air under the hood, so I figured I'd just take all my parts off the e30 and slap it on the e36 (almost all my expensive stuff is compatible with the e36). Lo and behold there are few e36s I'm willing to buy.

I also pulled that tantrum with my 84 rabbit, then my 86 325es. After those cars I realized that I should always have at least one cool euro car to satisfy my automotive nerdiness. Far cheaper and more fun than making payments on a new and depreciating (insert late model euro/jap car here).

Yup, my stock e30 had it's share of issues and I put it on sale here and CL. Had a shit load of interested ppl. but for the 5g's I'd get for it, it wasn't worth selling or scrapping. Decided to make it a priority and redo it now that they are getting harder to find in similar shape and I have the tiem and funds available.

MOST parts are still avail OEM from BMW (awesomeness). Can't say that with a Lolvo/Saab/Peugeot/Renault from the 80's

[Stanley Rockafella]

After doing appropriate pre-purchase research and doing work on someone's RX7, I was pretty put off from owning a wankel powered anything other than a weekend toy. The awful fuel economy, the unpleasant sound, the expense of finding good housings when rebuilding (all of the cheap RX7s seem to have trashed housings).

troof!

As cool as it seems, they are maint. monster$$.

[jalopi]

I thought about an rx7 FC, but only because like someone already mentioned you can get a v8 crossmember & full mount kit for like, $800.

However, they're starting to get to be hard to find and parts availability is important to me

[blck325is]

I don't think I'm cool enough to rock an old jaaaaaaggggg though

I seem to have left my wallet in the jaaaaaaaaggggg. Vintage clarkson.

[z31maniac]

This thread = poverty.

[jalopi]

OK so if I'm taking anything away from this thread, it's that if I want an E36 I'm just gonna have to suck it up and pay $2k for something in OK shape.

Maybe I'll just suck it up and get an auto car, then swap it to manual when I do the engine swap

[matthugie]

Are you really expecting to pay $1k for a decent condition reliable BMW?

Just get yourself a foxbody or crown vic and call it done.

[AwakenNoMore]

I thought about an rx7 FC, but only because like someone already mentioned you can get a v8 crossmember & full mount kit for like, $800.

However, they're starting to get to be hard to find and parts availability is important to me

Hard to find my ass, I've owned 4 FC's (3 at same time at one point). More and more aftermarket everyday, OEM parts still available. Easier tire sizing than E30 for sure.
It's an outstanding chassis.

pic for giggles:

[jalopi]

Lol, rx7's are tough to find in my area, maybe not so in yours. Kinda jelly if they are.

And Matt, that's what I paid for my car five years ago. e30s were alot cheaper back then. I'll agree with you on the vics though, but jesus christ foxes have gotten expensive (around me anyway). Complete turdbuckets are going for $2500. The cheapest fox I've seen in five months was a beat to shit four cylinder four eye for $1500. IIRC the seller said it didn't run. Non-POS examples that actually run go for $5k+